


Efflorescence

by FangirlintheForest



Series: The Efflorescence Trilogy [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: (sort of), Action, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - The Last of Us (Video Games) Setting, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Background Character Death, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Clickers (The Last Of Us), Coming of Age, F/M, Gore, Gun Violence, I'm just throwing canon into my mixing bowl and turning on the blender, Isolation, Kylo is smitten from Rey's first word, Like really slow, Long-Distance Relationship, Minor Poe Dameron/Finn, No Pregnancy, Rey-Centric (Star Wars), Runners (The Last of Us), Slow Burn, Stalkers (The Last Of Us), This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:08:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26643517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangirlintheForest/pseuds/FangirlintheForest
Summary: (n.) the process of developing and unfolding: blossoming.Five years after the parasitic infection known only as the Cordyceps Brain Infection decimates most of human civilization, Rey is thrust into the violent world of survivors. After years of seclusion she must learn to trust again - even if that means trusting a faceless voice on the other side of a satellite radio.A Reylo ‘The Last of Us’ AU
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: The Efflorescence Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2041951
Comments: 58
Kudos: 66
Collections: Reylo Hidden Gems, To Rapture the Earth and the Seas: the 2020 Reylo Fanfiction Anthology





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> The theme I chose for this years Anthology is 'Blooming', which I think fits super well into the world of The Last of Us - a game about a post apocalyptic world where fungus-infected zombies have taken out most of the population, and nature has reclaimed civilization.
> 
> Thank you so much to Mods Briar and Viv for the edits and comments, and a special shoutout to Mod Mneme! Without her valuable insight, this fic would not be where it is today.
> 
> A huge thank you also goes to my Beta and good friend Dei (shipperofdarkness) for editing all my mistakes, all the late night sprints, listening to me rant, and helping me craft a world and story that I am so proud of. Her knowledge and guidance truly helped this fic blossom (hehe).
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story as much as I have writing it.

* * *

_“all that blooms_

_must wither first”_

_― Dahi Tamara Koch_

* * *

The apocalypse wasn’t what anyone expected. It was sudden and over just as quickly as it began. The CDC did their best when problems started popping up - contaminated food was quickly identified as the source of the outbreak. Theories sprang up and circulated. Before the night ended, the public learned that they should have paid more attention to the warning signs. In the end, it didn’t really matter what theory you were particular to. The only thing that mattered was if you managed to live through the initial outbreak, a game of chance that was, for most, fatal.

Rey still doesn’t know if she’s one of the lucky ones. Sure, she lived, but when over sixty percent of the global population is either dead or Infected, it tends to change the hierarchy of things.

She remembers the night of the outbreak clearly. She was lucky her foster father, Unkar, had a habit of leaving his TV running through the night - it was the only reason she saw the breaking news and the seconds afterward when the screen cut to static in the middle of the broadcast. With nothing but a backpack, meager supplies scrounged from his Jakku junkyard and the clothes on her back, she traveled as far as she could from the inner city as it fell. In those beginning days, she was glad to have a reason to run away.

The power grids went out shortly after. Rey was using a gas station bathroom when the electricity died for good. The utter fear she felt in the dark of that room was debilitating. She cried, biting her wrist to muffle her sobs as she tried to feel her way out of the windowless room. When she finally managed to escape, another man, along with the cashier, were looting shamelessly. Seeing the opportunity for what it was, she also grabbed things off the shelves. A few bags of chips, a lighter, and a couple bottles of water were all she had time for before rushing out the door.

And so she kept going on.

And on.

And on.

**| 5 YEARS LATER |**

  
  


By the time Rey reaches the decrepit apartment building, it’s been picked down to the bone by other scavengers looking for something of trade value, or for anything to get them through the night. She’ll soon find out if they were successful or not. The overgrown moss, grass, and plant life muffles her footsteps as she enters the lobby. She listens very intently before hurrying to the stairs.

 _Listen_ . Open the door. _Listen_ . Pick through the rooms. _Listen_. This cycle repeats itself over and over, floor by floor. She prides herself in finding useful items others tend to overlook - things like paper clips and empty tins. Bit by bit, she fills her satchel with little odds and ends.

She stumbles upon it on one of the top floors. At first, she isn't sure if she’s seeing correctly - if it’s real, or if her imagination is playing tricks on her. 

The two-way handheld radio is covered in a fine layer of debris and dust - the dingy blackness perfectly out of place in the decaying room. Rey's hand shakes as she brushes it off, tiny particles floating into the air. Her fingers clasp around the hard plastic, and she lets out a quiet gasp at the weight of it. 

Rey pops open the back, and her eyes widen at the sight of two non-corroded batteries nestled inside. She quickly snaps the piece closed, flipping the radio around and around in her hand. She shakes it, expecting to hear loose parts rattling inside but is met with nothing.

Could she really be this lucky?

Rey shuffles around as she fiddles with the dial that turns the device on. She jumps when it crackles on and the static of empty radio waves fills the air. She turns down the volume knob, glancing around just in case as she turns the dial to cycle through all the channels. She pushes the talk button, fighting with herself over whether to say something or not.

Any words she comes up with are disappointingly empty. She ends up shutting the radio off with finality.

* * *

He doesn’t come in here often - no one has reason to come into places like this anymore. The whole building stinks of rot and decay; he can even smell it through his mask. Just one more reason that he loathes having to be here. Why did Snoke task him with something this menial? They have squads in this zone that take care of these types of alerts - _if they'd learn to pick up their damn walkie-talkies_ , he thinks.

The room he's been sent to investigate is piled high with old world junk. No immediate signs of spores anywhere, as he thought. He stalks through the rows of plastic shelves anyway, taking in the heaping stacks of useless electronics. The dull wallpaper at the back of the room is peeling and there are water stains all over but no signs of fungus. Good. He'd prefer to live another day.

He turns and stomps back down the row. Whoever called this in is going to have hell to-

Loud radio static fills the little room. He stops in his tracks. _What the-?_

Shoved in the back of one of the shelves, the screen of a dusty two-way satellite radio lights up for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be on Fridays! As always, I really appreciate your thoughts and comments!


	2. The Living and The Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please mind the tags as the zombie action starts kicking into gear now.

Rey opens the flap of her satchel as she walks out of the apartment and shoves the radio inside. It rolls around next to the spare flashlight, bandage roll, and the two Slim Jim's she brought along.

Outside is quiet as ever; even an old newspaper idly flapping in the wind would be loud enough to hear down the length of overgrown street. The path she takes out of the crumbling city is one she knows like the back of her hand. She turns down an alleyway and ducks through an opening in a rusty chain-link fence. Down a grassy embankment, there is another road that leads away from the city toward the National Park she calls home. 

It’s a long walk back on the cracked, uneven roadway but it’s one she’s happy to make. The cave she uses as shelter feels too cramped nearly all the time and the forest itself has a way of making one feel like they’re the only person in the world. Trips to the city are what remind her of others - even if they’re no longer there.

The sun moves across the horizon as she travels, and beads of sweat collect on her brow. At last, she reaches the decaying sign she uses as a marker when going to and from the forest. Rey steps into the sprouting greenery and off of the road. Last winter was severe, and she welcomed the sight of the flowers budding from the damp earth. This pathway in the winter was dull - colorless and white. Now it’s exploding into vibrant colors. There are no birds chirping yet, but there should be any day now.

The ground gets rougher, but she sidesteps the rockiest of places and balances when she needs to. Before long, the mouth of her cave is in sight. Rey slings the sack off her shoulder, folding herself into the small space where she can relax her muscles after the long day.

Leaning back against the rock wall, she opens the bag to peruse her spoils of the day. Four glass bottles, two paper clips, a questionably old tin of spam, and the satellite radio make up her haul. Not bad but not terribly great either. Rey sighs as she puts the tin of spam next to her collection of other canned goods - all scavenged from different places in the city. She won’t go hungry tonight, but she still worries that she won’t be able to find anything else. She’s been picking the city clean little by little for five years and it’s not a big place. There are only a few spots left that she knows she hasn’t touched - for good reason.

Because of this, Rey cringes as she opens a tin of beans for this night's supper. Only half a tin though - she needs to ration, despite knowing her stomach will cry out for more. When she’s through, she covers it with her satchel to keep until morning.

She closes the flap, but pauses. She can’t go to bed without sating her curiosity. Digging through the satchel, she finds the radio and flips it on. Immediately static fills the cave.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” She releases the button to talk and waits. Nothing happens so Rey tries one more time. “Hello?”

* * *

He steps out of the steamy bathroom, wrapping one of the towels around himself and running the other through his dripping, dark hair. As he dries it, he hears that noise again - the crackling of static. He stops, and looks over to his bed where the walkie-talkie sits, resting against a pillow - the screen _illuminated_.

“ _Hello? Is anyone out there?”_ His lips part in surprise as a female voice replaces the hiss. “ _Hello?_ ”

His eyes narrow as he slowly lowers the towel. The voice could belong to anyone. Even now, last year’s incident burns fresh in his memory. It would be unwise to reply. But, a part of him wants answers. How is this individual - assuming they’re working alone - communicating with him through this forgotten piece of junk? And how is it still working after all this time? Most importantly, why has he taken this task upon himself instead of passing it off to an insubordinate?

“ _Well, it was worth a shot. If you’re listening, goodnight._ ”

Something about her tone makes him rush forward but she’s gone before he can grab the device. As he picks it up, he has the sudden urge to fling it at the wall as irritation fills his chest at this new development. He clenches the plastic tightly in his fist and it immediately releases a sharp hiss. In his anger, he’s pressed the push-to-talk button. He freezes, loosening his tight grasp and listens for any response from the other end. When he hears nothing, he switches the power off and quickly puts it on his bedside table. He throws the towel in frustration as he walks back into the bathroom.

* * *

Her goodnight is met with silence. Disappointed, Rey tucks the two-way radio gently back in her bag before reaching into the back of the cave for a blanket. She drags her favorite comforter - one with clouds on it - over herself as she watches the sun set for the evening. Water drips down in even drops over the mouth of the cave as she finally relaxes, muscles slowly unclenching from their tensed state. She dozes for a few minutes and thinks she hears a slight crackling. But dismisses it, knowing her subconscious is playing tricks on her.

She burrows further into the sheets. With warring emotions, she drifts off to thoughts of the past and of people.

* * *

Spring means renewal. It’s a time when living things emerge from out of the harsh and dark months of winter. Rey remembers when it was a time to look forward to. It’s not anymore. While the forest is in bloom and the weather is clearer, it also means welcoming the damp. It means having to watch out for the different stages of the Infected. 

As Rey studies the market in front of her, her left ankle throbs - a phantom pain twitching up her calf, a harsh reminder why’d she’d avoided this place for all these years. Back then, she hadn’t been careful enough. The Clicker’s teeth had been close - too close. Instead of getting the fatal bite, Rey had staved off the creature with her staff, but at the cost of her ankle. It was so swollen she had to hole up in the woods for nearly two weeks. She had very nearly starved. Rey never made that mistake again.

But beggars can’t be choosers. She’s exhausted all other options. This place is her last hope and this time she won’t be taken by surprise. Her eyes find her pointed staff. She’d carved the rounded end sharp after her close call. It should be easy to stab through the neck in a true killing stroke - or pierce straight past the fungus of a Clicker into the brain, if she got it sharp enough - though she’d rather not test that theory at all.

The dirty glass doors are - _were_ automatic at one point. Now they're motionless as she approaches. Rey peers as best she can through the glass but sees nothing moving yet. Prying open the doors, she slips inside.

It’s dark and musty, and the air is full of the damp smell Rey has come to know means _spores_ are near. Even in death, the Infected still manage to be deadly. It’s wildly unfair.

On the bright side, there appears to be products lining the shelves. It’s unexpected to find a market so well stocked. The smell of expired food hits her all at once and Rey has to quickly cover her nose with a sleeve to keep from gagging. She slowly walks down one aisle, side-stepping the products littering the floor.

The croaking starts then.

Every muscle in Rey’s body freezes and she instantly feels cold. Crouching, she peers around the corner of the aisle.

About five feet away is a Runner. The fungal infection has not taken over its features yet but its faint inhuman moans are still terrifying. It’s passively standing in her way - an inconvenience that twists her mouth with worry. She almost goes around, until she sees the aisle full of tins next to it.

Before she can talk herself out of it, Rey creeps behind it. The Runner screeches, its limbs flailing. She manages to drive the sharp end of her stick into an eye socket before it gets too close. It crumples to the ground. Rey stands still as high-pitched clicking echoes from the deeper aisles of the store. When no Infected spring at her, she takes it as a good sign.

Squatting, she begins to quietly put tin after tin into her satchel, taking great care not to make any clattering noises. A bead of sweat makes its way down the side of her grime-covered cheekbone. Every time she hears clicking, she winces and it seems like she can hear every beat of her heart banging in her eardrums.

When she’s crammed as many canisters as she feels comfortable carrying, she stands - and all the tins clink lightly together. Her stomach drops as the noise rings throughout the room and the clicking goes silent.

The screeching begins almost immediately.

Out of the darkness, a fully-transformed Clicker shuffles into a stream of light from the front windows. There is no face, only fungal plates growing out of its head. Wherever decaying clothes don’t cover its skin, it is covered in open sores of mold; Rey has never seen the infection quite this bad. Rey calls this kind of Infected ‘Clickers’ because they move by sound - hence the constant clicking noises. As far as she’s encountered, they are the most advanced stage of the infection and certainly the most dangerous.

It makes a chirping noise, head whipping back and forth before clicking again. Rey’s options are limited and she panics, stumbling back loudly. The creature stalks towards the sound. Thinking fast, she grabs a tin off the shelf and throws it at the Clicker’s head. It bounces off, taking a good chunk of fungus with it. The monster screams loudly, recoiling as the light touches the mottled, exposed flesh underneath. Rey takes this opportunity to charge and hit it again, this time with her staff. She spins the pointed end toward the creature and stabs it with everything she has. It goes down and she stabs it again just to be sure.

She can’t relax though; another round of clicking pierces the air and she looks up into the darkness. The sound of dragging steps gets closer but Rey has what she needs. She turns on her heel as three Clickers and a Stalker come running out of the market aisles, closing in quickly. Rey scrambles through the front doors. She barely has time to shut the door tightly behind her. Quickly reaching into her satchel, she takes her only rope and binds the doors tightly shut as the horde starts banging on the exit. She stands back, admiring her work before walking away. Her heart sinks with every step. That was the last building she hadn’t swept clean in the city, and now she can’t go back. Rey does her best to quell the growing panic in her chest as she returns back to her dwelling in the forest.

* * *

The man sits up straight at the edge of his bed, waiting. His foot taps out the slightest rhythm. The radio by the side of his pillow is silent and still. There hasn’t been a single noise from it all evening (and he’s checked it’s powered on three times already.)

After last night’s ‘goodnight,’ Kylo had brought the walkie-talkie to Mitaka. The lieutenant was able to clarify some details in regards to the device. First, unlike their standard First Order comms, this satellite radio is one of higher quality and limited quantity - pre-outbreak, only the elite could afford such technology. Second, this particular model comes in identical pairs, so his mystery caller has the _exact_ twin to his radio. 

Something about all of this is off. Is he truly supposed to believe him getting sent to that random building the same day the discarded radio decided to work is a coincidence? His mind cycles through the possibilities. Snoke could be testing him. Worse, it could be another spy trying to get their foothold in the First Order. 

He finds himself relieved they haven’t called. Perhaps they’re even dead if he’s lucky. He doesn’t need another nuisance. He picks up the radio and puts it in his nightstand, telling himself the call was a fluke, and nothing more.

* * *

Rey wakes with a stomach full of dread. The first thing she does is take stock of what little supplies she does have. She has maybe a week and half worth of food left and that's if she doesn't eat full meals. If this wasn't already a nightmare, it is now.

This has been her territory for years. In a world full of uncertainty, it’s been her comfort zone. Now, Rey must leave it behind. It’s dangerous and she might not make it, but in order to live, she must be willing to die.

North seems as good a choice as any. She follows the main roads and ventures into the unknown. Abandoned cars, caked in green mold and dust, line the path. She jimmies a few locks open and gets lucky with her finds, including an untouched water bottle.

It’s not even close to noon when she finds herself staring down ‘Main Street’ - the sign almost too eroded for her to read. As Rey surveys the area, a bead of sweat drips down the side of her face reminding her of the task at hand. It’s going to take a few trips going back and forth to get her bearings on the new territory. 

Tattered flags clink against lampposts in the breeze. The brick buildings could have once been pretty in a rustic kind of way. Now they’re in various crumbling states, slowly being consumed by plant life. It could be seen as beautiful, but instead Rey shuffles back and forth, filled with a sense of dread.

Since the outbreak, plants have been growing abnormally fast. It’s not too surprising, since the Infection is a fungus and it blooms where its host dies. What _is_ surprising is how far into decay this town has fallen.

In her city, the damage is limited to grass growing in the cracks in the sidewalk and crumbling concrete. Here, vines ensnare whole buildings. A tree root forces its way through the cement and grows back down like a serpent emerging from the sea. Nature seems to be doing more than just reclaiming everything.

Out of curiosity, Rey enters a doorway to her right and stops halfway through in shock. The back wall of the business is gone, leaving the room completely open on one end. It’s like the entire back of the store was pulled off. Rubble is everywhere - scattered about on both the tiles beneath her feet and where the floor ends. Rey kneels down, brushing the uneven line of cement where the wall once stood. Now that she’s closer, she can see where the grass has been trampled down and chunks of earth have been pulled out.

This isn’t normal and this definitely isn’t Clickers. People did this.

In five whole years, she’s only ever seen a glimpse of other non-Infected survivors and the experience had changed her. Rey has since taken many precautions to stay far, far away from anyone, even if it means inconveniencing herself.

She rolls a piece of rubble around in her hand. The real question is why tear this building down at all? The front is made of brick and it seems fortifiable enough - why bother taking down the whole back wall? 

Throwing the cement away, Rey gets up and walks out the back. She stumbles, nearly falling. The sight that greets her only makes her day worse.

Tire tracks mark the dirt. It’s definitely people. And if they’re pulling down buildings, they’re likely fortifying something - something close.

It’s time to leave. Fuck this whole bloody town, she’ll find another one that’s safer. Rey tugs her bag closer and jogs toward the front door as a rumbling sound pierces the quiet air. Rushing to the shop’s front window, she sees a Jeep driving down the road in her direction. Through the grime on the glass, she can barely make out three passengers; that’s far too many for her taste.

Clickers, she can fight, but humans with weapons? The odds aren't in her favor. 

Rey glances out the back of the shop. Her eyes catch a bright glint of silver illuminated by the sun. Surrounding it, there’s a dull yellow color intermixing with the green of the forest. Maybe it’s a weapon, or even a tool left behind.

With one last glance at the car, she creeps out the back of the building and into the open grassy area. She tiptoes around the rubble, careful not to make any noise. Two steps into the forest, something small floats lazily in the air, right in front of her view.

It’s a spore.

Her eyes widen and she claps both hands over her mouth as she holds her breath, stumbling backwards. She trips over something in the grass and goes down with a yelp. 

Yellow spores fill the air between the trees - she is so _stupid_ not to have noticed before. If she had inhaled them, she would be as good as dead. The nexus swirls around the source, the corpse of a Clicker with a knife in its head nestled at the base of a tree. Flesh-toned fungus blooms around where it lies, some sections pulsing sickeningly. 

Rey scrambles to her feet, her shoes sliding across the grass before finally gaining traction as she backs away from the trees. As she speeds back inside the building, the front door opens with a bang.

“I thought I heard something moving around in here. And guess what? I was right.” A man steps through the door and stabs the air with his finger. Rey jumps at the sound of his voice, freezing in place.

“Can it, jackass,” says a dark-haired woman who brushes past him. Her sharp, furrowed eyebrows highlight her intense, amber eyes.

Another man walks in behind the other two. He looks older and much less intimidating. Regardless, Rey is shaking with the knowledge she’s in a very dangerous situation.

The older man turns to the others. “I guess this has turned into more than just a supply run?”

The other guy groans dramatically, rolling his eyes. “God, do we have to pick up _every_ stray we find?”

“Do you have to complain every time we do?” The woman shoots back. She turns to Rey. “My name is Bazine. This is Grumm and Orri,” she points at the older man and the younger one respectively.

Rey’s gaze darts between the three of them as she freezes, unsure of what to say. “Um….”

Luckily, Bazine interrupts. “Look, I know this doesn’t exactly look the best but we’re friendly, I promise. We come from a nearby community. Pitch in, you get to stay type of situation. ” When Rey hesitates, she smiles. “Come with us. We have plenty of food.”

Rey’s stomach chooses that moment to give a loud, traitorous growl. Her face flushes in embarrassment as the noise outs her ever-constant hunger.

“C - Could I leave whenever I want?” She asks, surprising even herself at the confidence in her voice.

Bazine chuckles lightly and the men join in. “Of course.” She nods her head, gesturing her thumb behind her. “Our jeep is just outside. That's all you’ve got?” Her gaze rests on Rey’s tattered satchel. Rey nods as the group head out the door.

Rey finds it strange they let her walk last, leaving their backs exposed. It’s so...trusting. Even after they all crowd into the jeep, Rey still doesn’t trust them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!! Lots of stuff going on in this chapter. Do you think Rey made the right choice tagging along? And what do you think of the zombies so far? Terrifying, right? These are the kind of zombies I would NOT want to be stuck with if we had a zombie apocalypse lol. As always, I love hearing your comments and feedback! Tune in next Friday for chapter three, and subscribe if you'd like to get emailed when I put new chapters up! :D Thank you for reading!
> 
> *Please note that some of these links will have graphic images depicting the zombies as they appear in the Last of Us game.  
> [Runners](https://thelastofus.fandom.com/wiki/Runner)  
> [Stalkers](https://thelastofus.fandom.com/wiki/Stalker)  
> [Clickers](https://thelastofus.fandom.com/wiki/Clicker)


	3. B'omarr

The ride to their settlement isn’t a short one. It’s been so long since Rey has been in a car, she gets lost in it. She finds herself enjoying the view of the trees rushing by. Even the wind rushing through her fingers from the open window is a novelty. A sudden jolt runs through the jeep and Orri swears loudly, bringing her back to reality. Rey looks around at the unfamiliar surroundings and curses herself. They’re in suburbia, a place she hasn’t been since the outbreak. The car hangs a sharp right and they pass under a huge rusty metal sign with cutouts of animals on it. A heavy gate is pulled open by two men in matching dark jackets. Rey leans out of the vehicle to take it all in, eyes wide.

Their settlement is in an abandoned zoo.

It’s strange to see everything so meticulously taken care of. The roads are clean, there’s no overgrowth anywhere in sight, and there seem to be  _ people _ about.

The car rumbles as they slow down and park next to three other identical jeeps. Seatbelts unbuckle. The others jump out of the car, but Rey takes her time - looking around and taking in her surroundings. The whole zoo is surrounded by an iron fence that has been heavily modified. Rey can see where the bricks from the town’s building were repurposed as reinforcement and she has to admit, it’s a smart move. 

“You coming?” Bazine stares expectantly and Rey quickly scoots out of the car, hopping down next to her. Her satchel slung over her shoulder.

“This place is really nice.” Rey nods in the direction of the fence. 

Bazine follows her gaze and snorts. “It’s a work in progress,” She gestures at Rey to follow. “Come on, I’ll show you around.” Rey follows behind the woman, who walks a few paces ahead on the concrete sidewalk.

Whoever designed this place clearly wanted to keep artificial landscaping out. Paths wind around large trees, and eventually they make their way to the ticketing building. Turnstile gates lead to the rest of the park.

The area opens into a large paved pavilion - beyond that is a large grassy hill and more pathways leading down to the other sectors within the park. There is not a single leaf on the ground here either. The big buildings enclosing the open area intimidate Rey. It feels like a rush of people could be entering at any moment to enjoy the park. To see it all standing still is strange. Almost like things are normal.

Bazine veers left instead of going down the paths.

“What about over there?” Rey blurts out.

Bazine just shrugs. “We don’t really go down there much. The animals were either missing when the first people got here or didn’t make it.”

There’s a certain weight Rey feels at the loss of life. She tries to shake it off as they walk away from that side of the park.

“We stick to the buildings up here.” Bazine explains, pointing them out. “There’s the gift shop, a couple of maintenance buildings, the science building, and the food court. The science building has been turned into living quarters and the food court is what we use as a general meeting hall and mess hall. Luckily, this place wasn’t too run down and most everything still works.”

She turns around, walking backwards for a few steps as she directly faces Rey. “You like scrambled eggs and pancakes? Grumm ran ahead to tell Chef to whip up something for you.”

Rey’s mind goes blank at the thought of fresh, hot food. “You have that?”

Bazine lets out a barking laugh. “Yes, we have that.”

She leads Rey to a large building with double glass doors. Inside, rows and rows of picnic style tables make up the center of the room. There are plenty of different openings where restaurants used to be but the signs above each have been removed. A faint scent of breakfast wafts through the air and Rey’s mouth immediately waters. Bazine leads her straight to the source, the kitchen in the back right corner of the building.

Bazine’s going to hop over the counter when Grumm appears out of the doorway carrying three plates of steaming food.

“The cooks are starting to prep dinner,” he says, walking to the nearest table and setting the dishes down. “However, they did have time for a little something.”

Rey stares down at the fluffy scrambled eggs and the sweet-smelling pancakes. It all looks too good to be real, let alone eat.

“I promise there’ll be more later,” Grumm quietly says, smiling slightly.

Rey tries to return the smile, managing something that’s more like a twitch of her lips in her food-frenzied state. She grabs a fork and digs into heaven. Every bite is delicious. It’s been too long since she’s had hot food.

People start trickling into the cafeteria and sitting around the tables in groups. A low, dull chatter fills the room. Rey feels wildly uncomfortable around this such a crowd. Every time another person shows up, she feels more and more like crawling into a hole to hide. The only solace she finds is digging into her meal.

By the time Rey finishes her plate, more mouthwatering smells are coming from the kitchen. A tall man comes over and catches the attention of her companions. While they’re distracted, Rey takes the opportunity to knick the butter knife from her dish and shove it down the side of her boot. Sure, these people are being kind, but survival comes first.

Everyone starts to line up next to the counter and suddenly their numbers aren’t as intimidating. For their community to occupy such a large enclosure like a zoo, there aren’t many people here. It’s strange, considering how easily they invited her to come. And that off-hand comment about picking up strays.

A crackling noise blares and Rey jumps as Bazine pulls a walkie-talkie from her hip. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Eyeing the radio with hope, it quickly dies as Rey notes it’s different from her own. There’s no screen and it's much more plain. “Did you get that from the zoo?”

Bazine twists the device around. “Yeah, they have shit range but it’s better than nothing.” A voice emits from the device but Rey fails to hear what it says as she processes Bazine’s words. Truly no one had heard her. “Sorry, I’m being summoned.” She shrugs apologetically. “Grumm, you should probably come too.”

Grumm sighs and gets up, grabbing everyone’s plates. “You gonna be fine on your own?” He asks Rey. She nods in affirmation but she probably won’t be fine. “Just stay in here and we’ll be back before dinner is over.”

“Okay.” Rey slumps a little in her seat as Grumm puts the dishes in a large plastic bin and deposits the silverware in another. The two then walk out the door. Though the building is large, everything seems to shrink inwards the longer she’s here. It’s all so unfamiliar. 

Rey misses her cave. She misses her space, and she misses her freedom. Her foot taps out a rhythm on the floor. What’s the harm in exploring as long as she’s back before dinner ends? No one has to know.

Before she goes, Rey shoves her radio into her boot on the off chance they decide to search her bag. She doesn’t know if everyone will be as kind as Bazine and the others.

Quickly getting up from the table, Rey slips in line behind the last person. Much to her relief, no one bats an eye. She slowly and quietly backs away into one of the other unused kitchens. She walks quickly to the back of the dim room, opens the door, and slinks out into the evening.

With the sun down, the earlier breeze has turned a little chilly. Rey shoves her hands into her pockets as she walks toward where Bazine had veered off before. With everyone inside, it’s much easier for Rey to sneak over the grassy hill and down a path leading off into the trees.

It’s peaceful out here. Rey feels a little bit of calm soak into her veins being once again alone and surrounded by nature. 

The walkway is long and progresses into switchbacks. Secluded from the rest of the park, she tromps loudly without a care. She stops as large signs come into view. Beneath the dust and grime, she can make out images of arctic animals. Rey smiles, continuing down the path but is fully unprepared for what she sees as she rounds the corner into a viewing area. 

A gigantic pool, once full of water, is now chipped and dry. Next to a rocky wall on the far side of the enclosure is an open area of dead grass. In the middle of the thatch are two neat piles of bones curled into each other, bleached white by the sun. Beside them, there appears to be a small collection of odd-shaped rocks. She leans against the railing for a closer look. Rey nearly retches at the sight. 

A tiny polar bear skull lies next to one of the bigger rib cages. 

Rey stares in horror, gripping the railings until her knuckles turn white before turning away and bolting back up the pathway. 

Rey goes down the adjacent footpath, finding empty food carts and seating areas, before coming around a bend. The foliage descends into that of a jungle around the pavement. The sun sinks lower and lower. She looks to the horizon, calculating how much time she has before she needs to head back when she runs straight into something firm.

She pulls back in horror at a huge man towering over her. He looks nothing like the others at the cafeteria, wearing the same distinct uniform of the guards at the gate. And unlike the others, he is very much armed. Rey backs away further, eyes widening in fear at the semi-auto gun slung casually over his shoulder.

“What are you doing back here?” He steps forward and grabs her roughly without hesitation. She grunts, trying to pull free from his harsh grasp. When that doesn’t work, she leans down and  _ bites _ . He yells, and she jerks away, dashing down the walkway.

It twists and turns until she ends up in a new open area. Unfortunately for Rey, someone is already there.

A man stands with his back to her, looking down at an enclosure below. His skin and hair are a sickly pale color, which the earthy tones of his outfit do nothing to improve. He doesn’t turn so she thinks she’s in the clear, until-

“I know you’re there,” he speaks. Rey doesn’t dare move. She holds her breath as she scans their surroundings. There is no one - just them. 

“Come closer.” He turns his head to the side, not fully facing her but directly addressing her. His voice is as close to hissing as she’s ever heard and it just adds to the nervous beating of her heart.

Rey silently pads over the textured concrete to stand near him - but not near enough for him to touch her. He pays her no mind, his attention is elsewhere. Rey frowns, following his gaze. She wishes she hadn’t.

Several feet below them, in what was once an enclosure, is a horde of Clickers. Rey’s never seen so many, so close. It’s horrifying. The plexiglass barrier between her and the drop-off is entirely too small. Rey jolts back as a screech from below rends the air.

The man makes a quiet, hushing noise at her. “It’s alright. They can’t harm you from up here.”

“Aren’t there enough dead things in this place?” Rey asks defensively.

“Dead things?” He turns his face toward her for the first time. His eyes are an icy blue, but the whites around his irises are irritated and streaked with red. Rey tries not to wince as he stares at her intently. “Truth be told, I’m not sure any of them are actually dead.” 

Rey freezes, a cold shiver running down her spine. “What do you mean?”

He turns back to the enclosure, unbothered by her question. “Dead is a point of view. You seem young. I don’t know what you remember from the first initial days of the outbreak but it was thought that the infection was natural, not born in any lab. Maybe we weren’t good enough - or maybe we were too much. Either way, Mother Nature has decided our time is over.”

The way he speaks with quiet fervor is unnerving. Behind her, Rey hears the armed man slow to a stop as he enters the viewing area. She sneaks a glance at him, pleased to see that the bite mark on his arm is bleeding a fair amount.

“Noah, thank you.” He addresses the guard but keeps his gaze on Rey. “I am Fortuna. Welcome to B'omarr. I see you’ve already made yourself familiar with the lower section of the park. Rey, is it? Grumm and Bazine mentioned you”

Rey clenches her jaw as she nods.

“What a pleasant surprise. It’s not too often we find people alone. I’m sure they told you how this place works?”

“I don't think they were completely honest about what goes on around here.”

“Well, most guests don’t deliberately enter restricted areas. But, I shouldn’t be too surprised. You’ve been on your own for - how long? I’m sure manners haven’t been at the forefront of your mind. However, I can’t work with someone who doesn’t follow even the most basic of rules. No operation can function without order. I'm sure you understand.”

Rey’s patience is gone in a flash. Who is he to insult her? “I’m not sure I like being your guest,” Rey spits. “The others said I could leave, and I would like to go.”

“The others aren’t me.” Fortuna quickly replies, and the energy between them changes.

She shouldn’t have come here, should have damn well recognized the warning signs and gone with her gut. She clutches her bag close and looks around for an escape route but the four exit points are blocked by armed men like Noah.

“Ah ah, I wouldn’t run if I was you,” Fortuna tuts, waving a finger. “It won’t change what’s about to happen and there’s no use in exhausting yourself further. You’ll need your strength.”

Rey backs away from him. “What-” She doesn’t get the chance to finish.

Two pairs of arms grab her from behind and there’s a nasty pinching sensation in her neck. No matter how hard she fights it, her strength leaves her limbs. Her bag falls out of her grasp. Her knees scrape the pavement as her legs give out and the world slowly fades to black. 

* * *

The two-way radio is like a brick in his pocket as he pushes open the doors to Snoke’s office. The inside is illuminated only by the moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Hux is right behind him as they approach the only person in the room.

Sitting at his large and ornate desk, the former Senator lounges on his large burgundy bergère, his distorted features hidden by shadows. He’s always had a flair for the dramatic, and somehow, it has always worked in his favor to establish an intimidating and untouchable presence. The outbreak has not changed that.

“Kylo Ren,” the words roll off his tongue slowly. “I presume you finished the task?”

“I did.” The radio feels like it’s burning against his leg. The sweep of the building was meant to be menial, but ended up being so much more.

“And what did you learn?” Snoke leans forward when Kylo is silent, exposing the twisted flesh that marrs his cheek to the moonlight as his eyes glint with malice. 

Kylo never would have paused like this, before. Now, he’s not sure what his response should be. There’s more to be discovered about this  _ girl _ before informing Snoke. To mention her now would only be foolish. He cannot afford to fail again, not so soon after his critical oversight. He must earn back Snoke’s trust.

“Your silence is unbecoming of one such as yourself.” Kylo works his jaw as Snoke’s ire washes over him like a wave. “The smallest details  _ cannot _ be ignored. If left unchecked, it can be the downfall of civilization. You would do well to learn this.”

Kylo’s face is stony. This is just another lesson in a string of pointless missions and tasks that have been given to him since his abject failure a year ago. He can practically hear Hux’s smirk behind him. His eye twitches as his fingers clench by his side.

“I understand.”

“We’ll see,” Snoke replies, unconvinced. He turns instead to Hux. “What news on the Western front?”

The redhead stands tall as he’s addressed. Kylo resists the urge to roll his eyes at the pompous fool and his preening. 

“The Cartel still meets every deadline with punctuality. For an operation with the gall to send a spy into our midst, they’ve stayed unusually quiet. The men continue to have no issues during the trades.” 

“An unexpected development, considering their general incompetence.” Snoke replies dryly. Kylo agrees with him. “If you have nothing further to report, General, then get out.” he hisses.

“There is new information regarding the Resistance,” Hux blurts out. He has clearly been withholding these details, judging by the smug expression on his face. “They haven’t moved from their little base of operations, until now. My men reported Resistance vehicles moving out as of three days ago and they are continuing to head eastward.” 

“Excellent work, General,” Snoke declares, and Kylo absolutely loathes Hux for his little stunt. “Keep me informed of their movements. Now leave.”

Hux salutes, brushing past Kylo snugly as he quickly darts out of the room.

Snoke turns back to Kylo, a warning glint in his eye. “I expect greatness from you, Kylo Ren. Do not fail me.” He waves a hand, leaning back into the chair as Kylo stalks out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, looks like Rey is in trouble 0_0 
> 
> The zoo is loosely based off of the one in my city. Bonus points to you if you know what B'omarr is ;D 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated! :) Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate each and every one of you.


	4. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this is getting up so late! Today was busier than expected. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

The cold wakes her. Her head throbs and the rest of her body is stiff and aching. She tries to move her still partly numb hands but they’re caught tied behind her back. Her eyes drift down to see there are ropes binding her shins to the legs of a cool, metal chair. With her fingers, she can feel the two rods digging uncomfortably into her back. A dim light filters around the room from the flickering fluorescents above.

Rey looks around the tiny chamber, noting the empty shelves lining the walls and a single door facing her. There is no sign of her satchel. She has nothing but the clothes on her back. When she wiggles her restrained legs, a firm chill presses against her right foot. The butter knife. In her left boot, the familiar weight of the radio rests against her ankle. Rey sighs in relief. At least they didn’t take everything.

There’s an odd roar coming from outside. Rey frowns. It sounds like a crowd cheering, but that can’t be right.

The door opens, letting the full volume of the commotion soar as the terrified screams build to a crescendo. Fortuna and Orri storm into the room. While Fortuna is calm and collected, Orri is visibly testy.

“Let me go,” Rey bites, pulling against the ropes binding her wrists to the chair’s back but there’s no give.

“I knew you were bad news. You’re lucky he’s let you live this long.” Orri scoffs, nodding at Fortuna. “Rules are easy to follow, at least for most people. Unless you are here for other reasons.” He glares at Rey as he kicks her chair hard. The metal squeaks as her stomach churns with nerves.

Fortuna addresses her as Orri stalks the length of the room. “No one survives the wastelands by themselves. I’m not inclined to believe that you’re working alone. There are too many factors that lead me to believe otherwise. That makes you a liability - one we cannot afford to have.” He says, and Rey’s heart sinks to her stomach. 

“Why not just kill me?” Rey says, brushing past his jab and whatever point he’s poorly alluding to. Attempting to put some distance between them, she leans as far back as she can. She subtly tries to wiggle her legs but the ropes still won’t budge.

“There are better ways to dispose of spies.” A sick smile forms on the man's pale face.

He’s not making any sense. Who could she possibly be a  _ spy _ for? Another group? “Your people  _ are _ the first I’ve seen in years. I’m not a spy!” Rey protests, sitting forward as much as she can.

He ignores her, directing his attention to Orri. “Have the arena reset. She’s next,” Fortuna says with a sinister gleam in his eye . “I think I will make an exception and stay tonight.” With that, he exits. Orri shoots her a smirk before following.

As soon as the door shuts, Rey struggles against her restraints. One of the rods holding up the back of the chair shudders. She repeats the gesture and it trembles again.

Rey pulls until her wrists are rubbed raw. Finally, there is a soft popping noise as the rod detaches from the seat of the chair. Rey frantically contorts herself to slide the rope up and off the prong and pull her hands to her right hip. Although she’s still attached to one rod, the rope is much looser and it only takes a few tight painful twists to free her hands completely. After taking a moment to stretch her wrists, Rey leans down and swiftly frees her legs. Immediately she pulls out the radio, thumbing it on to say her final words to someone, anyone just in case she doesn’t make it. Just as she’s about to press the push-to-talk button, a cry for help echoes outside. It sounds close.

As she stows the radio back into her shoe, she draws her knife. The door handle turns easily. They probably hadn’t seen the point in locking it before. 

The corridor is dark when she peeks outside. Seeing no one, she slips out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Daylight streams in and she spots a staircase to the right. She can hear footsteps above.

Something on the left catches her eye. Light reflects off the bars of two cages built into the walls. Between the metal poles, desperate hands reach outward as cries for help echo from inside.

It’s the perfect distraction. She runs over to the smaller of the two and hits the green button next to the cage, hoping it’s the release for the door. She’s rewarded with a slight rumble as the door retracts into the ceiling. As soon as it’s clear that it works, she does the same to the other side.

Three men and a woman stumble out of the darkness of the cells. They look rough, like they’ve been left there for days. As Rey pushes past them, she hears the sound of voices and sees Fortuna and another armed guard walking down the stairs behind them.

In a moment of pity, she turns to the other prisoners. “This way,” she hisses as she runs towards the light. Rushed footfalls follow her.

She’s blinded as she steps out of the tunnel. Blinking, Rey takes in the sight before her. She’s standing in an animal enclosure. Huge rocks and dead grass make up the terrain. Above them, people sporadically sit in tiered, stone seating. It wraps around the pit, separated by a circular border wall.

A loud metallic clang makes Rey turn around to see a gate close off the tunnel. Fortuna watches them through the bars, a smile growing on his face. The man next to him pulls out a walkie-talkie. His lips move but he’s too far for Rey to make out what he’s saying. The sound of another gate opening sends her heart into her throat.

Fortuna’s smile widens as a distant screeching rings out across the stadium. Rey whirls around as the small crowd cheers. A group of Infected rush into the pit from the now open opposing tunnel.

As a Clicker pounces on one of the men, Rey makes a break for the wall, determined to get out and away from the Clickers. In her haste, she makes a mistake.

A Stalker rushes her from the side. The air is knocked out of her lungs as she goes flying. As she hits the ground, her knife tumbles out of her hand and across the floor. Panic surges through her.

The Stalker is on her before she can even move. She grunts as it takes nearly all her strength to hold its monstrous face back. Rey barely manages to keep the snapping teeth away from her. With her other arm, she reaches backward for something - anything to use. Her fingers close around a loose chunk of textured concrete. Without hesitation, she swings her arm forward and bludgeons the side of the Runner’s head. It falls over with a cry, stunned by the blow. Rey hops on top of it and brings her newfound weapon down. Hard. A bloody mess is all that remains of the creature’s head. She spits just in case any blood splatter got in her mouth, rubbing her sleeve over her face for good measure. Infection is not an option.

She walks past the corpse and grabs her knife. As she stands, the loud static of her radio blares through the side of her boot. Scrambling to silence it, another shriek cuts through the pandemonium. She has no choice but to leave it. Rey turns just in time to evade a Clicker; it’s slimy teeth aimed right for her shoulder. With a yell, she stabs her knife right in its throat - splitting the rotten flesh open. The creature falls to the ground, silenced. Quickly, she snatches up the booming walkie, silencing it. The screen is still intact and it seems in overall good condition, much to her relief. She switches it off before once again sliding it into her boot.

Rey turns around and looks at the enclosure wall. It’s taller than her, but not by too much. She backs up and runs. Jumping up, her fingers barely catch the edge and she manages to boost herself the rest of the way.

As she stands, she makes eye contact with Fortuna. He glares right at her and backs away into the tunnel. Rey immediately bolts up the stairs and out of the arena.

Following the trails, she finally sees the hill and the buildings by the exit. She hears heavy footsteps coming from ahead, so she slinks against one of the structures as armed men run past, toward the arena.

Once they’re out of sight, she runs like hell for the turnstiles and easily hops over them. She won’t get far on foot. She needs a vehicle. She sprints over to the parking lot, but stops dead in her tracks.

Bazine is standing at the open trunk of the jeep, her back turned to Rey. Slung over her shoulder is a familiar looking satchel. Rey doesn’t think, she just pounces - wrapping her arm around Bazine’s neck and placing the cool, slick blade at her throat. “Hand over the bag.”

“How did you get out?” Bazine asks sharply. Eyeing the red streaks on the metal, her eyebrows raise. “I didn’t take you for a killer.”

“You don’t know anything about me. Now, hand over the bag.” Rey presses the butter knife closer to Bazine.

“You expect me to be afraid of  _ that _ ?” Bazine laughs, “I’ve been through much worse, honey.”

“This knife may not hurt you but the Infected blood on it will. One nick, and you’ll end up in Fortuna’s pits.” Rey slides the edge over the thin skin of her neck “It doesn’t have to be deep.” Bazine tilts her head backward, her breath hitching. “Hand. It. Over.”

Very slowly, Bazine slides the strap off her shoulder and holds the bag out to Rey. The scavenger snatches it with her non-knife-wielding hand, sliding the familiar fabric over her own shoulder. She throws the flap open but it looks like nothing has been removed. Glancing inside the jeep, she sees a stuffed thick manilla folder. In a rash decision, she tosses it into her brown bag.

Bazine’s reaction is immediate, she struggles against Rey’s grip. “You have  _ no  _ idea who you’re messing with.”

“I don’t care,” Rey retorts. “Keys?”

Bazine’s hand is shaking with anger as she lifts the keys from her pocket. Rey seizes them before shoving Bazine face-first into the next parked car. The woman yelps as her head collides with the metal frame. Rey slams the trunk shut.

Walking toward the driver’s door, Bazine grabs her arm. Rey swings around and punches Bazine right in the mouth. She falls on her ass, lips bloody. As Rey hops into the car and switches on the ignition, Bazine lets out a twisted laugh.

“I rescue you, we take you in, and  _ this _ is how you repay us? You’re just fooling yourself if you think there’s anything better out there for you. You’ll always be alone.” Blood drips down her chin as she stands, wiping it away with a growl. “We’ll be seeing you soon, Rey. I promise you that.”

The words sting but Rey doesn’t let it show. Instead, she revs the engine before weaving out of the parking lot. As she approaches the gates, the guards start shouting at each other and pull out their weapons. She ducks low as they start taking shot after shot at the jeep. She guns the acceleration and rams through the gate. She should feel relief as the zoo fades into the rearview mirror but she doesn’t.

* * *

A droplet of water makes its way down the window in front of him. Low fog sweeps over the buildings, casting a looming shadow. Condensation is everywhere. The troops below march through a sludge of mud, gravel and moss. Kylo does not envy them.

Every few minutes his hand twitches as he resists the urge to turn and check the satellite radio on his desk. He was interrupted in the middle of paperwork by the noise of the walkie-talkie going off. He could only stare as the snarls of Infected and what sounded like a struggle filtered through the device. Cutting between the scuffling, he could hear cheering - which can’t be right - as pained screams rent the air. The incident completely derailed his day. It’s all he’s been able to think of. In a desperate attempt to rid his thoughts of it, he radioed back minutes later only to be met with dead silence. And despite wanting to deny it, he wants to know if she’s okay and how she fits into all of this. And maybe she doesn’t. She might not be affiliated with any known group. Maybe she is just a nobody.

Either way, he needs to know if she can be useful. Intel is always something of value.

A sharp rap against his door pulls him from his reverie. “Enter.”

Kuruk peeks inside, not fully entering the room. He frowns at the paper strewn haphazardly on the floor. “Sir? One of our spies sent word from the stronghold at B'omarr. There’s been a disturbance. I think you’ll want to want to hear it.

As the Knight leaves, Kylo whirls towards his desk. He breathes heavily as he takes in this new information. The girl was there. He feels it in his bones. The probability of her being another spy just became infinitely higher. His fingers dig into the edge of the wood as anger fills his being. He was a fool for ever believing her desperate goodnight had been genuine. Slowly releasing the desktop, he grabs the walkie-talkie and throws it in a drawer harshly before following Kuruk. Whatever news they have better be worth his time.

* * *

She’d hoped to never feel like this again, but as the miles of decay blur around her, the loneliness and desperation sinks in. It’s too familiar, too much of a reminder of how things were in the beginning. In a way, she’s been repressing this hollowness since she ran away from Plutt. The lost feeling is overwhelming - like the ground opened up beneath her and left her freefalling. She just wants to go home but she can’t even do that. She’s always known she'd have to move on someday, but she never let that intrusive thought stay for long, choosing to distract herself with the little comforts she could still cling to. Yet now, here she is. Alone with nowhere to go. Bazine’s words ring in her head as she clings for any distraction.

She tries to imagine what younger Rey would have done. Undoubtedly, she would have gotten out of the zoo quicker. She snorts out loud at the thought. Younger Rey was a lot more naive, but ten times as bold. She’s still bold. It’s just different now. Running from the dead tends to change a person. That doesn’t stop her from missing that naviety.

She just wants to be tucked away in her little cave, safe from everything outside.

It’s not possible, though.

Instead she’s on the run, hunted by those fiends. She feels like a bug without its shell - raw and exposed. She thought she knew what being alone was like, but it’s only now that she truly realizes the meaning of the word. Surviving day after day was hard. It’s even harder to know that what little hope she had left in other people is now gone.

Is this it?

Are there really only these two choices now - to be completely and utterly alone, or to succumb to madness and the darkest parts of human nature?

Is this what’s left of the world?

Numbness creeps up her limbs as she tightens her grip around the steering wheel. Droplets of water gently slide down the windshield like poor imitations of tears. 

There is no more cave, no more familiar city for her to hide in. Even if there was, Fortuna’s camp is too close. That doesn’t stop her from grieving it all the same. This is her new reality.

The blurriness of her tears mixes with the heavy rain coating the windshield. The road gets infinitely harder to see, and with a jerk of the steering wheel, Rey clumsily guides the jeep to the side of the road. Her head start is enough to warrant pulling over, especially since she needs to.

She rests her head on the steering wheel as the car idles, taking a few deep breaths before turning to the side seat. She rummages through the bag for the file, but her fingers wrap around the plastic of the radio instead. She pulls it free, wondering why she risked her life for it - all for a foolish hope that someone out there cares.

The tears fall softly down her cheeks. It’s a fruitless hope. No one has answered and it’s almost certain no one will.

She wants to throw it out the window and drive away. Instead, she does something very stupid.

She determinedly flips the satellite radio on.

“Is...is anyone out there?” She hiccups into the radio, holding the button down as she tries to catch her breath. The consequences aren’t even crossing her mind. As soon as she releases the button the static goes away, leaving her alone in the forest air.

Taking a shaky breath, she presses the button down again. “Anyone? God, can I be any more pathetic. No one cares anyway,” she mumbles, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “I’m just so tired.” she sniffles.

Rey can’t keep the tears back, and she swallows and gulps for air. “What’s the point? They’re coming for me, and they want me dead. Even my family didn’t want me. Now I’m talking to a  _ radio _ . I need to let it go and say goodbye. I just don’t want to be alone anymore.” she blurts out with a sob, finally letting go of the button. 

* * *

His desk starts making white noise. Kylo nearly snaps the pen between his fingers in half. The word on the paper is now ruined by a jagged line.

He can feel the anger steadily rising. Of all the times to be interrupted, this is less opportune than most. The worst part is, as he searches through the disarray on his desk, he can’t find the source of the damn crackling noise.

He angrily wrenches open the drawers, ignoring the irritating screeching of wood on wood.

The radio ends up sliding towards him from the back of the drawer with the force he’s using to open it. He’d forgotten about it - throwing it in the back of his desk and out of mind.

Now the radio spits static at him again, alive and well. He lifts it out, ready to slam it on the desk in frustration when, just as quickly as it had started, the noise stops.

The display screen is still on. He stares at it, the silence in the room almost deafening.

“Is...is someone out there?”

Kylo freezes. His heart leaps into his throat as a young woman’s hitching voice rings through the device. The static starts up again seconds later.

“Anyone?” This time the crackling noise continues. She’s holding down the button. 

“God, can I be any more pathetic?” He hears her mutter, almost inaudibly. “No one cares anyway.”

He hears her swallow loudly at this point, and gasp a little before sniffling. Is she... _ crying _ ?

“I’m so  _ tired _ .” Another sniffle. Maybe it’s the tone of her voice, but he knows without a doubt that she’s guileless. Kylo leans back in his chair, resisting the compulsion to speak.

“What’s the point? Even my parents didn’t want me.” It shouldn’t but it still burns. He knows that pain all too clearly. “I just don’t want to be alone anymore.” The words rush out of her with a sob before cutting out entirely as silence surges back into the air.

His self-control crumbles. Thumb over the button, he licks his lips with his heart pounding in his ears. “You’re not alone.”

Stunned silence follows, until - “Who the hell are  _ you _ ?”

He wasn’t quite expecting that response. He frowns as her words crawl his skin and ignite his temper. He should hold his tongue. She’s upset and clearly has gone through something but  _ that’s _ how she’s going to react? His hand tightens around the arm of his chair.

“Does it matter?” he manages to grit out.  _ She wanted this _ , he reminds himself.

“Don’t you dare mock me,” she bites back. Her tone is now tinged with fury, but Kylo still hears the barely contained tears.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” he spits.

“Were you-” Her voice breaks. “That first night, were you listening then?”

_ Shit _ .

She  _ had _ heard him.

And apparently his silence is answer enough.

“You’re despicable,” she seethes, venom dripping from her tongue. 

His vision flashes red. “I don’t need to explain my reasoning to some stranger!” His harsh timbre bounces off his office walls violently. “Especially one that insists I care.”

“You have no compassion.” Her voice is low with anger.

“You’re right. Goodnigh-” The connection dies as the words leave his lips.

She’d hung up on him.

His reaction is instant. He stands up so fast his chair is knocked to the ground. In a rage, he flings a small bookcase against the wall with a yell audible from rooms away. Books rain down over the floor as the broken shards of the case scatter. He slams his lamp into the wall over and over again until even the metal of the stand starts bending. His knuckles are left bloody and raw. His breathing is heavy, and it takes him a few minutes to pull himself back together enough. His jaw works, clenching over and over. Slowly, he pulls his discarded chair upright and sits down to begin writing again.

He brings the radio with him when he leaves.

* * *

Rey nearly throws the radio in frustration and embarrassment before dropping the weight into her lap. Wiping the excess wetness from her skin, she presses the heels of her hands against her eyes. 

How _ stupid _ could she be?

That bastard had heard everything. Every pathetic plea.

Concentrating on slowing her heartbeat, she takes calming, deep breaths. When the hitching finally stops, she grips the radio tight and stows it back into her bag, carefully placing it alongside her supplies.

It’s getting dark, the clouds above the trees a muted grey now. Exhausted, she turns off the ignition and slumps against the coolness of the window.

Rain starts to tap against the roof. With a small groan, she climbs into the back seat, willing the darkness to conceal her shortcomings. Eventually, she drifts off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe well that went a little differently than expected! I've been so excited to post this chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed it. As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments!


	5. The Spark

Rey wakes up parched. She inhales and ends up coughing dryly. She reaches for her bag, rummaging through the contents until she finds her water bottle. Her stomach sinks when she sees how little is left - less than a quarter filling the container.

Fog is high in the sky today. As she climbs out of the car, the cold hits her. Weather and residual emotions aside, she needs to find water. Dying of dehydration is not something she wants to do.

She tries her best not to look at the radio, the little screen taunting her from the top of her bag. She flushes remembering last night’s call. She does her best to block out all thoughts of  _ him _ . Time to move on - and there’s no time to waste.

She drives until the jeep finally runs out of gas. Grabbing her gear, Rey reluctantly hops out of the jeep. Endless trees spread in every direction as she stands at an intersection. If it weren’t for the rusted-out cars, the four roads would look exactly the same as before. 

Rey continues straight on foot. It’s much different than driving. It’s been days since she’s had to walk and before long she feels the burn in her muscles. She pushes through regardless.

She can’t see the sun, but it’s past mid-day when she spots a rotted wooden sign off the side of the road. A dirt driveway leads to the stylized building. Maybe it used to be part of a national park? A ranger station, maybe.

What catches her eye is a sleek black car parked out front with a strange logo sprayed on the side. It is completely out of place. Rey scampers off the pavement and into the bushes across the road. It hasn’t gone untouched this whole time - she can see the fresh tire tracks in the mud. Someone is here. She crouches lower - heart beginning to race.

It doesn’t take long. She hears them before she sees them - two men in tactical gear walking down the driveway. Their tactical helmets only add to their intimidation. The black emptiness of the visors even more so. Rey almost walks away when she sees the guns.

She sits in the greenery and debates whether water is worth dying for as the men walk to the end of the driveway then turn around. She sighs quietly as she comes to the conclusion that water is very much worth it.

As the men walk out of sight, presumably toward the front door, Rey sneaks forward into the foliage next to the driveway. As she continues forward, she can spy windows on both the ground and upper levels of the building. She gets closer and sees a small window on the upper floor that’s slightly ajar.

Years of running around Plutt’s scrap yard have their uses and today is no exception. Rey scrambles up the side of the building, which requires a fair amount of effort, but she still manages to get to the small overhang without being seen.

The window slides open quietly and with ease. Rey drops down to the floor, wincing when the bare wood squeaks beneath her. Very, very cautiously, Rey walks over to a downstairs staircase on the far end of the slanted room. The stairs are covered in a generic thin carpet and she is thrilled to find they make less noise than the wood. Still, she descends them much slower than usual.

Downstairs, no lights are on, although there are plenty of windows illuminating the building. If she can find a kitchen, there should be something to drink. There’s no way people are here without a source of water.

She picks a direction and walks carefully down the plain white hall. Everything looks surprisingly free of the dust, dirt, and grime she’s come to expect. She peers in a few open doorways but there’s nothing that even resembles a kitchen. 

Then, she comes across a large metal door. It’s cracked open, just like the window upstairs. As she pushes it open, her mouth drops.

There are supplies - lots and lots of supplies. She sees boxes clearly labeled as rations. In the corner - bottles of water stacked high in palettes. Flashlights, toiletries, tools, and so much more are all crammed into the room. This would take months - if not years - to put together. Whoever’s behind this is smart. They’ve even chosen to use lit candles instead of battery-powered lights to illuminate the otherwise dark space.

The armed guards suddenly make so much more sense. Rey quickly runs over to snatch a few bottles of water first in case they’re already coming for her.

When she still doesn’t hear anything, she grabs some toiletries, several handfuls of ration packets, and a flashlight. Hopefully, they won’t notice. She prays they don’t have a good organizational system. 

As she fumbles trying to arrange everything in her bag, she accidentally backs into one of the metal shelves. It makes a loud, metallic thunk against the wall, and a bottle of something falls off the top shelf with a large, black file. The container explodes open over the carpet and nearest boxes. Rey swears as she picks up the file. 

A door distantly slams and footsteps quickly approach. Rey freezes and goes for her knife, but can’t find it in the mess of her bag. 

One of the masked men slams open the door, another hot on his heels. “This is First Order property! How did you get in here?” Rey scrambles backwards into the mess as she wonders what the hell the First Order is.

As the second man spies the file still in her hand, the first man pulls out a pair of wicked-looking handcuffs - ones she won’t be able to get out of. Rey decides it doesn’t matter what the First Order is. In desperation, she grabs a candle and launches it at his head.

She misses. Instead of hitting him, it lands in the spilled liquid. The floor ignites under two men. One of them screams, batting at his burning pants, the other stumbling into another shelf, adding more fuel to the fire.

With a cry, she charges the still standing guard, ramming him toward his companion. They both go down shouting as she speeds out the door and down the hallway.

She passes a room with a window, and quickly turns back. It takes a few seconds for her shaking hands to pry it open. When it finally gives, she jumps over the windowsill and down into the foliage. Smoke billows out of the building. A crackling sound getting louder and louder. Rey swallows hard before turning and bolting into the woods, back the way she’d come.

She doesn’t notice the two men hidden across the road. In shock, they watch her flee from the blaze. Rey slips out of sight as another sleek black car pulls up and unloads more armed men.

“What in the hell was  _ that _ ?” One of the men swipes a hand through his dark curly hair.

“Shut up, Poe! They could hear us.” His dark skinned companion gestures at him. “We need to radio the others,  _ now _ .”

“This is not what I was expecting today.” Poe groans, shaking his head at the burning building and desperate shouting men trying to put it out. At the sound of a branch snapping, he jerks his head to see his friend walking away. “Finn, where are you going?” He doesn’t acknowledge the question, so Poe follows him with a huff. “Finn?”

Finn stops mid-stride and turns around impatiently. “Come on!” He tugs Poe deeper into the woods and out of sight.

* * *

Bazine rubs her aching cheek as she steers the car down the roadway. They’ve been driving for far too long with no sign of the girl. Grammar is slumped over in the passenger seat dozing, and Orri has been driving her nuts as he taps his foot in his eagerness.

Suddenly, Orri leans forward from the back seat. “You see that?” he says, shoving Bazine’s shoulder as they drive down the road. He gestures at the column of dark smoke billowing up in the distance. “I guarantee that’s our girl.”

“You better be right,” Grumm mumbles under his breath as Bazine glares back at the overeager blond. “This chase should have been over days ago.”

The jeep slows as the road splits off into two different directions. “Quit it,” she barks, her face marred with an ugly bruise. Both men fall silent, knowing Bazine wants this to be done with the most. It’s personal. “We’ll find her, one way or another.”

With the squealing of tires, the car takes off toward the smoke.

* * *

Kylo wakes to a rumbling engine in the streets below. An unholy beeping noise starts as it backs up. He groans, the sheets falling around his bare waist as he sits up. Bright light streams through the white curtains onto the muted walls.

More troops are slated to be sent outside the walls today - it explains the ruckus, but doesn’t excuse it. A loud clanging echoes from outside, and he can hear yelling. He resists the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. It’s unfortunate their incompetence couldn’t wait until they were at least  _ outside _ the walls.

The metallic grinding and shouting continue as he gets out of bed and throws on pants, a shirt, and his jacket. The rest of his gear stays in the small closet. He won’t be going outside the city. There’s no need for unnecessary weight.

His quarters are located in the only high rise in the city - a stronghold for the leadership of the Zone. The corporation that used to own the building is non-existent so it’s been repurposed for First Order use.

In the hallway, it’s quiet. Kylo stalks to the elevator before any troops come.

The doors open and he steps inside. The elevator quickly descends and he steels himself for the chaos he knows is waiting.

When the doors slide open, the calm is broken by loud noises of every kind. Troops are everywhere. Captains are shouting orders. Two stories below, vehicles line up in the circular driveway. He doesn’t pay attention to any of this. 

Instead, he keeps walking straight. Ahead, automatic doors open, leading into a windowed room - the main communications room. The streets are clearly visible through the one way windows. A few Admirals and technicians are milling about, going over the day’s plans. He’s not here for them.

Around a large table rectangular table in the middle of the room, six figures in heavy black gear are gathered. The Admirals and technicians in the room are not paying them any mind. Their fear is practically tangible in the presence of his men.

“Sir,” one of his men at the table calls.

Kylo steps up to the table, facing him. “The report, Ushar?”

Their adopted names provided anonymity for them as a paramilitary group before the Outbreak and have continued to be proven useful. Since he and his team now work directly under Snoke, no one dares question them. Snoke’s penchant for elusiveness and his reputation are enough to keep a veil of fear over the subordinates and the Zone at large. Having the Knights is just another precaution - one of many. 

“A Western outpost has been... destroyed.” The bearded man answers carefully. 

His men exchange quick glances across the table as Kylo’s gloved hand clenches into a fist. “What... _ exactly _ happened?” Kylo asks through gritted teeth. 

“Somebody came in and lit the whole place up,” Ushar says. “In and out before backup could arrive. There was nothing left when they finally killed the fire.” He shakes his head like he still can’t believe it.

Kylo’s eye twitches. He waves a hand and they leave the room. 

Mitaka steps up, under obvious orders to finish the debriefing. He coughs uncomfortably. “The First Order lost over three hundred MRE’s, over two hundred portions of water, and-” He gulps, “According to the report, they also took the recon file on the Hutt Cartel.”

Kylo reaches for a half-empty glass sitting on the table and throws it with a yell. It smashes against one of the windows. The men jump in their chairs as the glass shards rain down on them. The liquid slowly oozes down the glass pane as Kylo takes heaving breaths, his temper flaring. There is a deadly sort of calm in the room.

“Anything else?” he musters between pants.

“Sir, you should also know that just minutes before they arrived at the scene, some of the men saw a girl headed away from the outpost.”

Kylo hides his surprise but whirls on the commander, grabbing the terrified man by the neck and lifting him up until his toes barely graze the floor. The pest chokes for air.

“ _ What _ girl?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite things to write is Kylo being annoyed with the (storm)troopers sldjfldskfj 🤣🤣🤣
> 
> Thank you for reading! I appreciate all the kudos, comments, and subscriptions so far! I'm grateful for you all.


	6. The Knights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, please mind the tags.

Seeing a town again is slightly surreal. The woods have a quiet way of pulling her into its clutches and making her forget the rest of the world, so it’s a little jarring to see actual houses, roads, and streets.

The sun is breaking on the horizon. The warmth prompts Rey to take off a thick poncho she scavenged from an abandoned car on the road. She even found a backpack that she now carries along too. She shoves the poncho inside.

Around her are the typical smattering of houses, but what she’s really looking for are the stores. After being on the road for a day, some non-dehydrated food would be nice.

Rey steps around the rusted carcasses of cars, and stray chunks of glass crunch beneath her feet as she gets further into the little town. After fifteen tense minutes of attentive listening for Infected, she finally reaches the main square. She peers in the windows and sees dormant Infected inside most of the shops. She sneaks around until she reaches one that stops her in her tracks.

It’s obviously a pharmacy. The front windows are in pretty good condition, and there’s no visible sign of any Infected. Although, Rey can’t really tell if there are any Infected behind the back counter or not. 

A bell tinkles above her as she slowly pushes open the front door. She can hear a faint snarling somewhere out of sight. She ignores the Infected, knowing she’ll hear it if it decides to move closer.

Items and boxes litter the shelves in numerous quantities, and there are even more scattered on the aisle floors. The shelves behind the counter are just as messy. Even with the silence and mess, Rey can almost pretend that everything is back to the way it was before as she walks down an aisle. The smiling faces of a couple plastered on the wall with a cheesy slogan catch her eye and suddenly it’s that much harder to pretend.

She pulls out the radio without thinking, flipping it on.

As soon as she does, his voice immediately filters through the radio.

“-pick up, scavenger. I know you’re there.” 

She snorts as she strolls further down the aisle, crouching down to pick up a stray lighter off the ground. After shoving it in her bag, she continues digging around for supplies while he repeats the message.

“Shit!” She scrapes her hand on the edge of a metal shelf as she reaches into the back to try and get a box of energy bars. It hurt but she doubts the action actually broke skin. However, she does manage to pull the box of food out along with her hand. “God, I hate this.” She glares at the radio as he rambles on.

She opens the box and dumps the foil wrapped bars into her bag with a little more force than necessary. “I know you’re listening.” he says, taking a breath to continue. “And I know where you are. Come out of the building.”

Rey’s temper flares as she crumples the box in her hand, her chest going cold in fear. There’s no way he could possibly know where she is. She’s ready to snarl back into the radio herself, when she hears the sound of a car.

Rey drops the pill bottle she’s holding and the growls from the back office increase in volume as she does her best not to drop the radio too. Out the window, she can see a familiar jeep driving down main street with three very familiar faces inside.

Glancing into the back of the pharmacy, she can hear snarling still ringing through the air, but nothing has rushed at her to attack. Rey swiftly hops over the counter and hopefully out of sight.

Everything is in disarray. She can see the colorful over-the-counter meds mixed in with the generic bottles. Long names she can’t pronounce adorn the labels. Some bottles still rest on shelves while most are haphazardly scattered all over the floor. She has to tip toe with every step to avoid stepping on them and making more noise.

There is one closed door in the back. It’s an office that protrudes from the side wall - a huge window covers the wall next to the door. Unfortunately, Rey can see the buildup of spores from here. The grime coats the window with oozing yellow and black spots. Whatever else is in there with the Infected is blooming fungus. Rey looks around at the air to double check that she’s not already as good as dead. She huffs a little sigh when there are no spores in sight, but pulls up her bandana just in case.

Rey curses under her breath as the sounds of the car get louder. It’s barely a split second decision, but she makes her choice. She raises the radio to her lips. “I’m on my way.”

There has to be a back door she can get out of - and she finds it quickly, but it won’t open. She yanks on the door handle but it refuses to budge. Thinking quickly, she runs back to the front counter and grabs a flat clipboard. She jams the clipboard under one of the hinge pins and slams it upward. The pin moves up and out of the hinge. Rey sighs in relief before leaning down and doing the same to the bottom one.

She turns around as the sound of the car reaches the front of the store. Ducking down, she waits until it sounds like it’s passed. Then, she takes the last pin out of the hinge. 

The door falls open, the chains circling the handle on the outside keeping the door from falling completely. Rey steps over the door carefully and into the back parking lot.

She runs through the littered back lot, going in the opposite direction the jeep took. She isn’t watching for Infected, though she should. Her feet pound against the pavement as she veers away from the pharmacy. 

As she casts a glance over her shoulder, Rey slams right into something solid and falls backwards onto the pavement. The air bursts out of her lungs as she slams into the ground, but she manages to keep ahold of the radio. She scrambles to her feet, looking up in horror at the person she just ran into.

He’s standing in front of a group of masked men, all wearing similar shades of black tactical gear. He has a modified gas mask on, and while all of them are tall and intimidating, his mere presence has her on edge. She finds herself paralyzed.

He doesn’t say anything, but he moves closer. Rey blinks up at him as he comes an arm’s length away, then closer. He slowly lifts a gloved hand to her face and she holds her breath, waiting for him to grab her. Instead, his fingers gently brush the edge of her bandana before carefully pulling it down, past her lips, and off her face. As he steps back, she can feel his eyes on her. She shakily lets out her breath as her fingers tremble. The silence in the moment is deafening.

“The girl I’ve heard so much about,” Rey jumps at the distortion of the man’s voice. “Don’t be afraid.” He says in a softer tone.

“That’s hard, considering I’m facing a creature in a mask.” She forces out. His head tilts as he considers her words. In a swift motion, he removes his mask.

His dark hair looks alluring without the mask on and perfectly contrasts the tone of his pale skin. It spills around an oddly handsome face devoid of expression. It’s almost like a mask in and of itself.

“Scavenger,” Rey’s eyes snap to his lips in recognition before trailing back up. His brown eyes show the trepidation his face does not. Her chest seizes in horror as she realizes who this man is.

“Interesting that you’re responsible for burning down one of my supply outposts.”

_ His _ supply outposts? The matching symbols on the cars at the ranger station make a lot more sense now - and not for the better.

“I assume it was you,” he continues. “Unless you didn’t happen upon a ranger station yesterday. Which, I highly doubt. ”

“They attacked me first.” Rey’s voice is low.

“Did they? Or maybe you were just breaking in somewhere you shouldn’t have been in the first place.” He sneers. 

Rey steps forward into his space. “I don’t know who you are, but if you have anything to do with this First Order, I doubt you know what it’s really like out here. Breaking into your precious outpost is the least of my concerns when your supplies are what’s keeping me from starving. And I’d do it over and over again, if it means surviving another day.”

His response is silenced as the screeching of tires catches everyone’s attention and she whirls around to see three very familiar faces in a very familiar vehicle. As the jeep whirls to the side and stops, Rey backs away, moving to the side of the road. Both groups ignore her when Bazine exits the car. “Rey!” Rey pales at the sight of a gun strapped to the woman’s thigh as the brunette glares in her direction.

“You,” one of the tactically armed men snarls at Bazine, stepping forward. His mask reminds Rey of the texture of a grenade, and the black coloring of it just adds to the peculiar figure he poses. To her shock, he pulls out a handgun and immediately starts firing at the jeep.

Orri and Grumm fire back from behind the front of the car as the masked men scatter. A quiet noise rings out and a bullet chips the ground right in front of Orri’s feet. Everyone stops and Rey nearly pulls her neck to turn and look upwards at where the shot came from.

_ Of course these people would have a damn sniper. _

Another masked man is on top of the roof behind her, casually reloading the long barreled gun in question. Behind her, the groups recover quickly and continue with their yelling and, from the sound of it, fighting, but Rey continues to stare. There’s something so unusually casual about this sniper that’s extremely confusing. She watches as he loads another bullet into the chamber, and he pauses to look directly at her - and  _ waves _ .

She chalks it up to shock when she finds herself automatically waving back.

Beside her, someone hits the ground with a sickening thud and she jumps up to her feet. Fortuna’s men are losing badly. Both Bazine and Grumm’s guns are on the ground and Bazine is sporting a deep cut on the top of her wrist that is bleeding freely. She blocks a jab from one of the First Order men and she hisses as blood spatters along the pavement when his knife connects.

Rey whips around as a yell pierces the air and she sees Orri making a beeline for her through the fray. He lunges as if to grab her but she sidesteps and uses his momentum against him - hurling him to the ground. She swings her backpack off her shoulders as he sits up and hits him square in the jaw with it. Due to everything stuffed inside, it hits with quite a lot of force. He goes down, rolling over and spitting out blood, coughing as he tries to regain his bearings.

Arms encircle her, pinning her arms to her sides and she screams when she’s dragged backward. She can’t break free. “Where’s the file, Rey?” is yelled into her ear. Instead of answering, she struggles with greater ferocity.

Another shot rings out and something wet hits the back of her head. The arms around her loosen and fall, something heavy hits the pavement. Rey turns around slowly.

Grumm’s body lies on the ground, already losing color. Blood leaks from a bullet wound in the side of his head, forming a quickly growing puddle that is getting closer and closer to her shoes. Rey raises shaky fingers to the back of her head. When she pulls them away, they are stained with clumps of red. His red, his blood.

She turns around and retches. Rey tries to wipe away the blood but instead, it smears as she rubs her skin raw. Behind her, Bazine starts screaming. “I’ll fucking kill you, I’ll kill you all!”

Rey weakly turns back around to see Bazine wrestle one of the guns from Orri’s hands.

“We have to go,  _ we have to go _ !” Bazine shoves against his chest as the masked men watch. “They won’t get away with this but we have to go.”

Orri reaches up as if to push her aside but relents after a moment. Rey distantly hears them drive off a few moments later.

Rey feels the tension change as all eyes go to her. She can’t bring herself to look up at the sniper again, even thinking about it makes her stomach heave. Instead, she slowly turns to  _ him _ . He stands still, silently observing her. 

Normal Rey would run. Normal Rey would have taken off the moment the sniper killed. But seeing blood like that - an actual living breathing person's blood coating her hand and hair - throws the world into a blurry dream state where the pounding of urgency is just background noise and nothing feels real.

Kylo walks toward her from the other side of the road, gazing at the body before giving her his full attention. “I’m sorry you had to see that. We have an old score to settle with their organization - Bazine in particular. She’s been a thorn in our side for quite some time.” When she doesn’t react, he continues, “However, you too have caused plenty of problems for me. One of those was taking something important. You took a file. Where is it?"

To her credit, she doesn’t make any move toward her bag, where the file is. When she opens her mouth to reply, nothing comes out. The duality of this man shocks her. The gentle tones and apology contrasted by his intimidating nature and prying questions leave her unsteady. 

He openly looks her up and down. “You’ve seen it. I know you have. Tell me where it is.”

She’s not frightened by him. She’s not scared. She’s  _ not _ .

His expression darkens, all gentleness gone as he enters her space. “You must be important for them to have followed you here. However, I won’t ask again.”

Rey clenches her fist as a tear streaks down her cheek. He renders her immobile, his mere size frightening her into silence and stillness. Something icy inside her cracks in half - as something inside her grows with defiance. She slowly reaches into her bag.

The husk of Rey from nowhere breaks open as Rey of Jakku claws her way out for the first time in years. It’s a fire that blazes in her chest, burning away the passive nature that has hung over her for that last five years. She shoves every last bit of hesitation, every little doubt into the inferno as she fully lets the pain and emptiness channel into one swing of her dull knife.

The knife connects. She hears his howl of pain and feels the spatter of blood. She stabs at his side before kicking him backward. She turns and bolts instead of looking to examine her handiwork. Her heart is in her throat as she waits for the inevitable bullet she’s sure will rip through her at any moment.

It never comes.

Instead, she swerves out of sight, careening down the main road. She almost trips as she reaches down for a loose chunk of asphalt, and heaves it through one of the biggest shop windows she can see. The resounding crash echoes through the mostly empty town as she keeps running, determined to put the place behind her.

The snarls are all but instant.

* * *

Kuruk, from his perch, is the first to hear them. “Boys, we’ve got company,” he says loudly, double checking that the sight on his gun lines up with where he wants it.

Kylo, surrounded by the others, is sitting on the ground, grinding his teeth against the pain, refusing to show weakness. He can’t. Not to them. However, an angry groan escapes his lips as his bloody gloved hand shifts across the wound when he sees the first Clicker run into the intersection and scream into the air.

The first shot slices through a Runner that moves too close to the group. Light flashes off Kuruk’s scope as he aims at another. The sun is setting and it makes it harder for him to spot his targets as the other Knights - sans Kylo - rush the horde and start hacking them apart. It’s not impossible though - Kuruk smirks as his next shot tears through the outer shell of fungus and into the skull of a female Stalker racing toward Trudgen.

Kylo grits his teeth as he staggers to his feet. His collarbone stings, and he takes a step back as his other hand comes away covered in blood. She was not supposed to do that. She...beat him. Without even trying, she got away and left him with lasting consequences. No one has done anything even comparable.

He could use someone like her. Someone on his side. She could be remarkable.

Trudgen stalks over, blood coating his armor and he slings Kylo’s free arm over his shoulder. The car is a block away and Kylo dreads the torturous walk there. Trudgen is a harsh taskmaster and sets a borderline cruel pace but it’s purely practical. There will be more Infected soon. Kylo would become a liability they couldn’t afford to babysit - God forbid he  _ ever  _ need to be babysat in combat - and they need to go back and regroup regardless.

He shoves away from Trudgen as they reach the dark armored vehicle and he wrenches open the passenger door. It takes all of his strength to climb inside. When he finally sits, it’s with relief.

Minutes later, the others file in. The stench of rotted flesh and sweat fills the space.

Kuruk is the last one to hop in the SUV. Slipping into the driver’s seat, he swings the heavily armored door shut with a loud bang that uncomfortably jolts Kylo’s side. The wound throbs as Kuruk turns the engine on and it roars to life.

He barely angles his jaw to Kylo as he shifts the car into gear. “So how are we gonna track her?” Surprised by his silence, Kuruk sneaks a peek at their injured leader. “We’re going after her, right?”

Kylo just ignores him and leans back in his seat, closing his eyes. The corner of his mouth lifts up just a fraction. Maybe there is a way after all.

* * *

Rey nearly gets killed by a Stalker on her way out of the town. She takes heaving breaths over its still twitching body as she tries to regroup.

The impulsive decision to throw that brick wasn’t the best idea. She can hear the snarling behind her and around her in the houses - maybe even in the trees behind them. The entire town has come to life. 

She runs a hand down her face as she huffs. Not only is there one group out to get her, now there are two. 

Of course this would be her luck.

But it doesn’t matter. She can still hear the shrieks of Infected behind her from deep in the town. The men from the First Order are occupied for the moment. It’s Bazine she has to worry about. She slams the walls down in her mind as she remembers what just happened.  _ I can handle it _ , she thinks.  _ I can do this _ .

The road is too risky now. She eagerly disappears into the depths of the forest without a second thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plaster the words 'Knights of Ren Stan' on my forehead pls 👉👈
> 
> Thank you for reading and I'll see you next week for the last chapter!! As always, I appreciate all your comments and kudos!


	7. The Choice

Rey finds herself standing at the edge of another road. Fighting Clickers in the woods hasn’t exactly been fun, but neither is being hunted by people. She’ll happily take the Clickers. Now, seeing the road brings a special type of nervousness.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rey scoffs at herself in the hot afternoon air. It’s nothing to be scared of - it’s just pavement. There’s no car in sight.

She’s right in the middle of the road when she hears the approaching vehicle. She barely has time to look up before she sees the dreadfully familiar jeep careening toward her.

Rey sprints the rest of the way across and into the tall grass on the other side. By the time she hears the car door slam, she’s already bolting through the trees.

“We’ll find you, Rey!” Bazine screams in the distance. “You can’t hide for long!”

Rey sighs in relief as she hears the car moving. Then, the branch next to her head explodes.

She hears the whizzing of more bullets as she takes off at breakneck speed, not even paying attention to where she’s going. The branches bite at her skin. Her heart races at a million miles a minute as bullets hit the trees around her. She cries out in terror as one hits a branch far too close to her head.

Just as quickly as they started, they stop. Rey doesn’t stop, though. Instead, she keeps running and running until she can hardly breathe and has to stop to gasp for air. She collapses on the ground, coughing until her throat hurts.

Then, she hears the familiar sound of radio static from her bag.

* * *

The Knights had taken him to Medical the minute they rolled into the Quarantine Zone. In one of the more painful hours of his life, he was stitched up by two doctors, assisted by a third. The girl had done more damage than he first realized - both sets of wounds will scar, they’d told him. They’d finally forced him full of sedatives and painkillers and the world quickly faded to black.

Now, Kylo bolts upright. He regrets the action immediately as it tugs on all his wounds. He’d been given plenty of painkillers by the doctors, and between those and the remaining sedative in his system, it's hard to think. He faintly recognizes the four walls of his room. On his bedside table, his clothes and personal belongings from the trip sit in a neat pile.

He barely remembers the trip in his delirious state. What he does remember is her name, shouted by that  _ spy, _ Bazine.

Rey. Her name is Rey.

He wants to talk to her again, see if she’s safe. Is she safe with Bazine chasing her? Why is Bazine chasing her? For someone full of so much spirit and fight, she’s so small and he has this overwhelming urge to keep Bazine far, far away from her. She’d be safe with him. She’d be safe here. She should be here.

He  _ wants _ her here. Kylo blinks at the sudden realization.

He reaches out, fumbling around the items on the table until he grasps the radio. He flips it on, hitting the button. A wave of dizziness hits him and he leans back, thumb still on the button. He lays there for a few moments before remembering what he wanted to do.

He pushes through the mental fog as he realizes he’s eager for this call - eager for what he’s about to offer.

“Rey. Can you hear me?”

It’s a solid minute before she replies. Relief rushes through him.

“I wish I couldn’t.” Her voice sounds strangled - hoarse even. 

He sits up, leaning forward in concern. “Did they find you already?”

“It’s none of your business.” Comes the terse reply.

“They won’t stop, not while you have something they want. They’ll follow you anywhere. They have the resources to.” While they don’t exactly strike fear into his heart, for her they will be quite dangerous if she’s on her own. His mind rebels against that idea. He hopes he is getting through to her. 

“I’ll take care of it by myself.” No, no she can’t do that. It won’t work.

“You don’t have to.” The words rush out quickly. He needs her to know. “Join me.”

“And why would I do that?” He’s taken aback at her questioning.

“It doesn’t seem like you have much of a choice, Rey.” Her name slips naturally from his lips.

“Yes, I do.” She angrily blurts through the radio. “There’s always a choice. No one can take that from me. Not even you.”

“You’re right, I can’t.” And he won’t. “But, I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you sooner rather than later,  _ Rey _ .”

He presses on when she doesn’t reply. “My location is due East from where you are. In fact, you are already headed this way. Don’t worry about not being able to find me - I’ll find you.”

He switches off the radio himself this time. Kylo leans back against his pillow, tapping a finger against the twisted sheets. He hopes he’s right.

* * *

Rey slams the radio down on the ground. From her position, she ponders his words while watching the leaves wave in the breeze.

There hasn’t been a purpose since the world ended. All she’s done is survive. Now, she wants to live. He’s right. She can’t make it on her own, not while she’s being hunted.

Rey shakes her head, bringing herself down out of the clouds. She needs shelter for the night before any big decisions are made. She clutches her bag to her chest and stands up. 

She doesn’t register the gunshot, not at first. Then, the pain hits. She slowly grasps her side, watching in a daze as red leaks between her fingers and spreads outward across her shirt. A small, pained cry leaves her lips as the stain gets bigger. Tears stream down her cheeks as she tries to gasp in a breath she can’t fully take.

She hears the distant sounds of footsteps in the forest through the fog of pain. She has to run and get away - she has to.

The first steps hurt like hell, and she groans too loudly. This can’t work.

She digs through her bag, searching for the bandages and spilling way too many things out in the process. She unwinds a handful of bandage and shoves it on top of the wound with a hiss, and then begins wrapping the rest of it around her waist to hold it securely. The result is messy and far from perfect but it's better than doing nothing.

She stumbles away, every step taking more and more out of her. She’s come too far and lived too long to be taken out like this. Determination moves her limbs now. She can do this.

She refuses to think about what will happen if she can’t.

* * *

“What are you doing?” Bazine grabs the gun in Orri’s hand and forces it to point down. If she’d known he was going to shoot, she’d have left him in the car. “We need her alive!”

He shrugs - his lack of remorse clearly visible. “If it hit, it’ll slow her down.”

“Or kill her, which is the last thing we want!” Bazine shoves the gun out of her grip, glaring daggers at her companion. “Did you even stop to think about what would happen if any First Order patrols are out here? If we get caught? No! You didn’t.”

She puts her head in her hands before huffing and looking up again. “Look, I know you want to do this for him. And so do I, I loved him, but taking her and the file back with us and making her talk is the best way to honor him. It’s what Grumm would want.”

Orri’s eyes dart back and forth as he considers what she’s saying before stowing the gun and marching deeper into the woods. “I get what’s left of her when you’re done.”

Bazine shakes her head before smirking and following after him.

* * *

She’s shivering. It could be from the cold, or from the wound. She doesn’t want to look. She’s wrapped herself three more times since the first and maybe it’s helping, but she doesn’t know.

Fog covers the tall dried grass and is in the sky above. It must be morning.

She stretches out her bloody hand and uses it to hold herself up against a tree. She tries to slow her heart, slow her breathing, and actually take in a lungful of air, but a sharp pain from her abdomen stops it.

She whimpers as she presses her cheek into the cold bark. Dried blood cracks on her hand as she touches the bandages. 

Something snaps to the left of her. She starts, standing up as much as she can, and looks around frantically for what made the noise.

She goes even paler when she hears the tell-tale shriek of a Clicker. Followed by another, and another.

With a grunt, she pushes herself away from the tree and hobbles forward deeper into the tall grass. It rustles loudly with every step, but she doesn’t have long before they’re on her anyway. A wobbly step sends a lick of pain up her side and she cries out, wrapping an arm around herself as the shrieks come closer.

She hears something distantly like an engine behind her. So they’ve found her too. Rey hopes Bazine or Orri kill her before the Clickers do. She squeezes her eyes tight as she makes herself take one painful step after another. 

When she opens them, she sees a wall towering in front of her.

* * *

Now that it’s morning, the haze of meds has worn off. He remembers everything he said, much to his horror and regret. He should never have been so foolish. He doesn’t know what she thinks of him, but he knows what Snoke will. He grimaces at the thought. He returns to his office, intent on catching up on First Order affairs when a trooper slams his office door open without preamble. Kylo stands with complete murderous intent at the man’s insolence.

“Sir, there’s a disturbance outside the wall!”

That’s all he needs to hear. Kylo doesn’t reply, but shoves the insubordinate into the doorframe as he strides quickly out the door. 

The Knights meet him at the front of the building, and walk alongside him down the city street when he doesn’t stop.

“Who would bother coming out this far? It’s suicide.” Ap’lek isn’t wrong. Even someone who isn’t a top strategist, like him, would know better than to come straight to the wall.

Still, he hopes.

“Quiet,” Kylo barks over his shoulder, holding out a hand to silence him. He points at the guards next to the wall checkpoint. “Open the gates.  _ Now _ .”

Behind him, the Knights exchange confused glances as the guards in question scramble to obey his orders. A clanging alarm fills the air as the solid metal gates of the massive wall start to pull apart. Finally, with a mechanical hiss, they shudder to a stop.

It’s still outside. The grassy plain in front of the wall is covered in a low morning fog the same color as the grey sky. Even though he knows the treeline is fifty feet away, it’s merely a shadow now.

Kylo slowly steps forward past the wall as his breath visualizes in the air, the gravel crunching underneath his feet before it turns to dead grass. Behind him, the Knights creep forward, spreading out to either side.

The first shriek of an Infected has Kuruk and Cardo lifting their guns toward the fog while the other Knights tense and draw their weapons. Kylo doesn’t. Instead, he listens.

He hears the pounding of footsteps before  _ the girl _ bursts out of the fog and collapses into him as behind her an Infected shrieks loudly. 

Cardo immediately shoots the Infected. The Knights engage with at least five others that leap from the fog, but all he can do is clasp her small arms as she sags in his grasp. She looks sickly, too pale, and her lips are chapped. As his gaze drifts lower, he sees the sickeningly large bloodstain coming from her abdomen. 

She’s been out here, all alone. Injured and running for her life.

She’s stronger than she knows.

The hand next to his chest firmly clasps the radio - the perfect twin to his. Something in his chest hardens as he realizes she most likely tried to contact him as he was headed to the gate. 

Her fingers shake and more of her weight is leaning on him. She inhales sharply before letting out a weak cough. Her voice is faint, and he almost doesn’t hear her above the fighting as she looks up at him with dazed eyes. “I - I didn’t know where else to go.” She desperately clutches at his shirt, looking him right in the eye. Her legs buckle beneath her and her eyes roll back in her head as she loses consciousness completely.

As she slumps forward, he scoops her up in his arms without hesitation, supporting her legs and back as he holds her to his chest. He turns around and strides back toward the gate. Faintly, he hears Kuruk follow, taking one last shot before turning around and radioing Medical.

But the only thought he has is she’s safe now.

* * *

“That’s - that’s Kylo Ren!” Poe points wildly towards the gate from their hiding spot in the bushes.

“Shut up, I already know that. Give me those!” Finn snatches the binoculars from his companion, catching a final glimpse of Kylo Ren as he picks up and  _ carries _ the girl inside the walls of the Quarantine Zone.

“Finn, I was using those!” the other man complains.

“Poe.” He sits in shock. “Poe, he took her.”

“What?!” Poe tries to take back the binoculars but Finn just smacks his hand away with a grunt. The Knights have finally killed the last Infected and have started walking back inside when he finally hands them over.

“They look less scary without their masks,” Poe jokes.

“You wouldn’t say that if you actually were around them,” Finn says darkly.

“Now why would he just take her when she’s the one who burned down his outpost?” Poe asks, ignoring Finn’s comment as he puts down the binoculars. “People have died for less than that.”

Before Finn gets a chance to answer, they hear the sound of a car engine coming up next to them. They flatten themselves even closer to the ground as a car appears, pulling close to the treeline and idles.

“Damn it, Bazine,” Orri curses. “You said the Clickers would slow her down! She wasn’t supposed to get that far. Now  _ he’s _ got her!”

“How the hell was I supposed to know they’d open the gate? I was not about to face down the entire First Order for revenge  _ or _ one piece of intel she may or may not still have. The boss can decide what to do about this now.”

“She’ll still have to pay.”

“She will. I don’t know what kind of game Ren is playing but I doubt she’s coming out of it unscathed,” Bazine grins. The Knights of Ren leader is not known for his kindness. There’s no doubt that she’ll suffer.

With that, the engine kicks into gear and the car drives away.

Peeking out to make sure the coast is clear, Poe shakes Finn’s shoulder. “This is it. This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. We need to get back to the others!”

He pulls a walkie-talkie off his belt as Finn rises and runs into the woods to start their car.

“Yeah, Kaydel? This is Poe. We have some information you’re gonna want to hear.”

* * *

Her breathing is shallow, her chest barely moving. When they make it to the medical bay, he barges into a room and sets her down onto one of the few hospital beds they have as waiting medical staff quickly fill the space. He backs away, watching the staff wheel in various bits of equipment and begin hooking her up to the machines. When they start cutting her clothing, he turns away.

Kylo’s fist clenches as he leaves the room, remembering what he saw through the fog. The faint outline of a car sears itself into the back of his mind. They have no idea what they’ve just done.

“Sir,” It’s a higher ranking officer. One of Hux’s. He turns away at the realization. “Snoke is requesting your presence in his chambers.”

Kylo snarls and punches the doorframe next to him as the officer leaves, startling the medical staff. He can practically hear what Snoke will tell him.

As he leaves the med center and heads toward the inner city, the gates behind him slowly begin to close.

* * *

She doesn't think she’s going to make it.

Desperately, she fishes out her radio and holds down the button as she runs. If she’s going to die, she doesn’t want to be alone.

The Infected are right on her heels and then she runs straight into  _ him _ , But this time it fills her with relief. The pain has faded into numbness and she knows that means she’s lost too much blood, but she can’t seem to care. 

The cold seeps into her core. The only heat radiates from him as he holds her upright. If this is how she’s going to go, then at least it was someone who knew her. The most that anyone alive knows her anyway.

She fades in-and-out of consciousness because one moment the shrieks of Clickers fill the air and the next, she’s enveloped in warmth, burrowing her nose into something that smells of leather and sandalwood. When it tries to set her down, she fights it, clinging to the only comfort from the darkness trying to consume her.

Her fingers are pried loose as a bright light shines down on her. Some part of her mind registers she’s in some form of a hospital but it all blends together. The only thought she can grasp is she’s safe. He’s taken care of her.

For the first time in a long time, Rey sleeps easy.

She’s not alone.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe it's over!!!😭😭😭 Surprise tho, I'm planning on two more installments in this series!! :D
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone that has shown their support of this fic. I am SO proud of all the work that went into this concept and to see it get the love it has, has been overwhelming ❤️ Thank you to each and every one of you for sticking around for Rey and Kylo's journey.
> 
> As always, thank you for your comments, kudos and bookmarks!


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